


Sparring with Natasha

by KByrd



Series: Tourist in time [4]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-11
Updated: 2014-07-11
Packaged: 2018-02-08 11:12:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1938759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KByrd/pseuds/KByrd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pre-avengers. Steve is figuring out what his role in the modern world might be. In the meantime, he's got plenty to learn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The gym at SHIELD headquarters is in the basement, but in a kind of atrium, open to the skylight, overlooked by several stories of briefing rooms with floor to ceiling windows. It’s surprising bright and airy and has state of the art equipment.

Steve doesn’t go every day – when he wants a quiet workout, he goes to a local gym near his house. But, he enjoys the ‘special’ features of the SHIELD gym, including access to trainers who are teaching him techniques that have never occurred to him. No-one has ever taught him to fight before – he’s just sort of ‘picked it up’.

The gym is busiest in the morning between 6am and 8:30. There’s a lull around 9am as the poor slobs with desk jobs go to work. Then there’s a brief rush at lunch time and a steady flow through the rest of the afternoon.

Steve tends to work out during the lull in the late morning.

He’s there, warming up, wondering if anyone is around to take him on in a sparring session, when he becomes aware of being watched.

He looks around and spies a young woman watching him. Once he’s noticed her, she approaches him.

He knows right away who she is. She reminds him of a cat, her movements are very smooth, efficient and vaguely predatory. 

She speaks first. “I haven’t seen you around before,” she says softly with the barest hint of an accent.

“Is that a pick up line?” he smiles.

She smiles sweetly, “This isn’t a bar.”

“I’m guessing you’re Romanov?” he asks warily.

“You’ve heard of me?”

“Hmmm.”

“So you must be Rogers?”

“Call me Steve,” he offers, shaking her hand. She’s very tiny, delicate, feminine, with large expressive eyes, a shock of red hair and pouty lips. The impression of a kitten is even more pronounced up close.

“Natasha,” she murmurs. “And what have you heard of me?"

He hesitates, even now wondering if this is some sort of elaborate practical joke. “That you’re a hell of a fighter,” he answers carefully. Actually he’s been hearing for weeks that she’d kick his ass once she returned from whatever mission she was currently on. Generally said with growing enthusiasm depending on how well he’d just thrashed his latest opponent.

She looks thoughtful. “Care to test that theory?”

“Now?"

“Sure.”

He gets up and they walk over to the ring where the sparring sessions take place.

“Safe word is snickers,” the supervisor says. 

“Stupid word,” Natasha says coolly. “Is someone on a diet or something to use all these candy words?”

They line up.

He can’t help but notice that she’s wearing those lovely stretchy, shiny leggings that so many women work out in now – they make it almost worth it to be living in the future despite the absence of flying cars.

And whomp – he’s on his back, seeing stars before he’s even realized that they’ve started.

“Sorry,” she says sweetly. “Were you not ready?”

“Ready now,” he responds drily.

There are more people than usual in the gym and he thinks that some of the overlooking windows appear to be full of spectators.

They spar for a few minutes. She’s lightning fast and fierce – he swings at air and she takes out his feet again. Whomp.

Is that laughter he hears from someone in the crowd?

This time, he slows and focuses. They spar; he blocks a kick. He hits her hard and she grunts and goes down on her hands and knees. He drops to his knees worried that he's hurt her and she lashes out at him. “I didn’t say the safe word,” she reminds him. He’s on his back again.

There’s definitely a crowd now watching the match. Maybe even some money changing hands, he’s not sure.

“Need a moment?” the supervisor asks him.

“Nope.”

He does get some licks in, drops her twice and feels some measure of revenge, but she’s up in a flash, kicking out and forcing him backwards. He flips her and her elbow catches him full on the nose.

“Ah!”

“I’m calling it,” the supervisor says laconically.

“No, no,” Steve says, trying to stem blood from his nose. “I’m fine, just give me a moment.”

“It’s not even close,” the guy snorts. “You’re done.” He tosses Steve a towel.

Steve looks up to see Maria Hill watching him. Oh crap.

 

“Is your nose broken?” she asks, not apparently terribly worried.

“No, I don’t think so,” he answers. “Even if it is, I’ll heal.”

She looks mildly amused. “Looks like we just discovered a chink in your armour,” she suggests softly.

He starts to protest.

She raises one finger and he quiets. “The other side uses female fighters too,” she says. “So we’ll need to sort this out. Come back Thursday at 11pm for another session.”

His heart sinks but he understands that it’s an order so he nods.


	2. private session

As he arrives at the door of the gym which is supposed to close at 10pm, a shadow emerges from a nearby tree.

“Hey,” Clint greets him. “Getting in some after hours work?”

Steve knows perfectly well that Clint knows why he’s here so he just makes a face and lets Clint in. “Here to watch me humiliate myself even more?”

“Yup,” Clint grins. “Figure you’re gonna want someone in your corner when you’re facing the ladies.”

“Know what they’re going to do to me?”

He snorts. “Won’t be fun.”

Headquarters are never completely empty. An agent once explained to Steve that it was because so many missions took place overseas that there was always someone somewhere that needs support. Steve suspects the reason may be more prosaic. Too many agents are married to their jobs and they like working crazy hours.

Nevertheless, the gym itself is empty and most of the windows overlooking the gym are dark.

Natasha greets Clint with a kiss and a full body hug, which confirms Steve’s impression that he’s the kind of guy who has a girl in every port. They speak briefly in Russian, then she turns to Steve.

“Ready?"

“As I’ll ever be,” he mutters.

Maria Hill scowls at Clint. “What are you doing here?"

He mines holding a giant bowl and pretends to eat popcorn out of it.

“Watch the show over there,” she suggests pointing to mini bleachers.

Steve stretches lazily and waits for instruction.

To his surprise, it’s Maria who steps forward, ready to spar. This makes him nervous.

He’s never fought a woman before – with the notable exception of the previous session against Natasha.

He hasn’t heard anything about her prowess. Obviously as a high ranking SHIELD agent, she’s probably pretty good, but it’s not like everyone was telling him – just wait ‘til Hill kicks your ass - the way they talked about Natasha.

And she’s his boss …

Natasha sets down the game rules – plus the safe word, cupcake. Then she joins Clint on the bleachers.

Steve and Maria line up.

First blood goes to Steve. She’s fast and kicks hard, but he’s faster and hits harder. They go back to their corners.

He can’t help but notice that she’s wearing the requisite futuristic work out clothes of black skin tight leggings and a form fitting top. Her hair is up in an austere, but elaborate roll, reminiscent of librarians, although he’s really not thinking of such things. He’s just noticing …

They line up and he’s distracted by the fact that the zipper on her top has slipped down to reveal …

And whomp – he lasts about five seconds before being dumped on his ass.

“Cupcake,” he spits out.

She helps him up and tucks an escaped strand of hair behind her ear. He wonders what she’d look like with her hair down. He’s only ever seen her with it pinned up.

He focuses. They spar, back and forth. She gives as good as she gets, but he dumps her twice. Ok, good. He’s leading.

She peels off her top to reveal an incredibly sexy black sports bra.

Steve blinks in surprise and averts his eyes, looking over at the bleachers where Clint is giving Natasha a high five. Ok then. He gets it.

He lasts mere seconds before getting pinned.

“Cupcake,” he grunts. He now has a rip in his tank top.

She grins wickedly at him as they line up again. 

Ok, he can see what she’s doing. He can focus.

He dumps her one more time and then Natasha calls time out.

“What have you learned?” she challenges him.

He won’t say that he recognizes that Hill is trying to distract him. He says nothing.

“Women fight differently than men,” Natasha lectures. “At least those who are trained properly. We don’t have the upper body strength so we use our legs. How many times have you swung at her and had her duck under?”

Ah. This is something he hasn’t noticed. He likes learning how to fight better.

“Lower center of gravity,” she points out. “So try again.”

They go to line up and Clint waves at him. “Two can play the game, you know,” he shouts.

What?

They spar for longer this time – back and forth. Eventually he flips her over, but it’s close.

And he takes Clint’s advice and peels off his tank top.

Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Clint and Natasha high fiving each other again. Maria looks amused as if she knows what he’s doing. But she also slips on approach and he’s able to pin her easily.

“Cupcake,” she snaps.

He’s figuring her out. They take a water break and spar again.

Natasha calls ‘time’ and walks down to the ring. They’re both breathing heavily and nursing sore spots.

“So what have you learned?” she asks him pleasantly.

“Lower centre of gravity,” he repeats dutifully, “she uses her leg strength to kick more, punches less.”

“And?"

He shrugs.

“You’re unwilling to hit her – I guess ‘cause she’s a girl and you’re distracted when she takes off her clothes.”

He laughs at that. Find a guy who wouldn’t be distracted. “My mother would roll over in her grave if she thought I was trying to hit a girl,” he retorts.

“You need to get over that,” Natasha tells him firmly. “Come see me when you’ve got over that silly little inhibition.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Enough for tonight though.”

“Drinks?” Clint suggests.

Maria nods. “Sure.”

He won’t get that image of her out of his head any time soon.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Testing a Theory](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4483520) by [Rubynye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rubynye/pseuds/Rubynye)




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